Apparatus for longitudinally compressing textile material

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed for longitudinally compressing materials such as knit fabrics. The apparatus includes a frame with the frame having first and second spaced apart side walls. First and second drive rollers are supported between the side walls and first and second idler roller assemblies are also supported between the side walls. A first endless belt passes around the first drive roller and the first idler roller assembly and a second endless belt passes around the second drive roller and the second idler roller assembly. A fabric passing between the endless belts is appropriately longitudinally compressed thereby. The second side wall has an opening therethrough and closure means moveable between a closed and open position with respect to the opening. The first and second drive rollers and the first and second idler roller assemblies are cantilevered on the first wall when the closure means is moved to its open position and, in this manner, the endless belts can be easily removed from about the drive rollers and idler roller assemblies without disassembling the entire frame of the machine. As a further feature, first tension roller means engage the first endless belt, and second tension roller means engage the second endless belt. First support means are carried on the inner surface of the first side wall for adjustably carrying one end of the first tension roller, and second support means are rotatably carried on the inner surface of the second side wall for adjustably carrying the other end of the first tension roller means. The second tension roller means is similarly supported. Means are provided to rotate the second support means and essentially guide the endless belts back to their intended position on the respective rollers in the event such belts tend to move laterally on their rollers.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.